Kisses on Friday
by TheSouthernScribe
Summary: Sometimes a girl gets tired of being alone.A little fic featuring BonniexMason.Now a multi-chapter fic.
1. Kisses on Friday

_Just a little idea that wouldn't go away. Take it or leave it. Hope you enjoy._

_**Kisses on Friday**_

The phone stopped ringing shortly after Bonnie's return to Mystic Falls. She buried her beloved grandmother, made peace with who and what she was becoming, and vowed to never allow another soul to feel the pain and loss she had experienced in such a short time. There had been changes in the people she once counted as friends and an extension of her family.

Elena had Stefan _and _Damon. Bonnie would never begrudge her that peace and sense of security. Her friend had been through too much. The death of her parents, the discovery of her adoption, and the knowledge that a man she'd addressed as uncle for all of her life was truly her father. Yes, she should have a boyfriend who supported her and cherished the heart she freely gave.

Caroline had Matt. Their relationship made Bonnie's eyes burn with tears. Not from sadness or pain, but pure unadulterated joy. Two of her favorite people in the world found each other. The cheerleader and football player, destined for a home full of happiness and laughter. Then things changed; a fateful night when Bonnie's morals outweighed the guidance of her heart. She sentenced her best friend to a life of darkness. She broke her Matt's heart. She gave Tyler Lockwood the only lover that could properly channel his rage.

Bonnie just wanted to know when it would be her turn.

People often mistook the brightness of Bonnie's smile as untainted joy. Rarely did they look below the surface at the little girl who still longed for her mother's arms and a father who could spend more than five minutes at a time with his daughter.

It's Friday.

No missed calls displayed on the screen of her cell. The last text in her inbox was from the video store reminding Bonnie to return the movie she rented the previous week. The emergencies have stopped. Damon's on a diet and dining nightly on Bambi in the hopes of returning to Elena's good graces. Caroline's blessed with a ring that allowed for daily trips in the sun to laugh and play while Tyler kissed and worshipped her lips, eyelids, and nose. Elena and Stefan are just that, Elena and Stefan; the power couple that cannot be destroyed.

The thoughts lingered as the bell chimed upon her entry into the store. Her eyes landed on Matt and Amy, playfully disagreeing over which flavor of Ben and Jerry's to buy for the evening adventure. She escaped discovery, ignoring the hurt look on Matt's face as she turned down another aisle. That familiar pang of jealousy and bitterness tightened in her chest. Her vision clouded and she wanted to cry and scream.

Instead she took her aggression out on the row of potato chips in front of her. She pounded the colorful arrangements before her, enjoying the damage her tiny fists caused.

"Some people eat their chips; others beat 'em."

The voice startled Bonnie and she nearly jumped from her skin. When she turned to face the stranger, she met a broad chest covered by a gray t-shirt. Her eyes followed the line a hairy arm that traveled upwards to grab a bag of Jalapeno Cheddar chips just above her head. He didn't say another word. He dropped the bag in his basket and headed to the register.

Realization didn't strike until she stood in the line next to his at the front of the store. It became completely obvious he was a Lockwood.

The air of superiority…

The strong presence…

Bonnie felt herself staring but she couldn't stop. He took his change from the cashier and walked backwards out the door, the slightest smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

There was no clear beginning.

Each and every Friday he showed up with a bag full of goodies. There were chips for him, ice cream for her, and an occasional pizza was thrown in the mix. The first few weeks they don't talk. They laughed when the mood hit them and the movie proved to be hilarious. Sometimes Bonnie cried and he would only watch her, silent, slightly entranced by her beauty.

"Why are you so sad," He finally inquired.

Bonnie thought she hid it well. No one had asked. Not even the grief counselor with the tortoise shell glasses. Maybe everyone thought the answer was obvious. She opened her mouth to explain and the words failed to come, but the tears continued to fall.

It felt good as hell to feel Mason's arms wrap around her in the embrace. She inhaled, taking in the woodsy smell of his scent. Her lids slid close when his lips met the top of her head.

Finally, she had someone even if only for a moment.

The first time they kissed he was the one to pull away. Her eyes rolled before he could even bring up their differences in age.

The argument wasn't new; they both felt the energy in the fleeting glances and brief brushes of their hands. She had caught him, watching her across the room while on dates with guys closer to her age. At the same time Bonnie burned with envy when he talked to Sheriff Forbes longer than absolutely necessary.

Too old…

Too young…

Those were the things he always said. He pushed her towards Tyler, Matt anyone that he thought might be strong enough and willing to make her happy. It always failed. Even when they were on the outs, Tyler's bond with Caroline was too strong to ignore. Matt would always be like a brother and never a boyfriend.

They weren't Mason.

Another Friday and Bonnie is surrounded by her _friends; _trapped in a circle full of phony laughter and fake happiness.

When their eyes met, Mason didn't look away. He settled at the bar, beer in hand, and Bonnie in his sights.

They indulge in their second kiss behind the Grill, hidden by the darkness of night. The sound of their tangled tongues was masked by the loudness of the crowd inside and the cars speeding from the parking lot. Her hands drifted to the sandy curls on his head.

"I'm tired of fighting you." He growled with the admission.

Bonnie cradled her head against Mason's neck as she whispered, "I'm tired of being alone."


	2. Secrets on Monday

_Peer pressure is a terrible thing. I give you more, Bonnie and Mason. This one is a little more intense - adult - okay sexual. I don't think its as good as the first round. So sorry if you're disappointed. I hope you enjoy it regardless. _

_**Secrets on Monday**_

Mason's kisses burned hot like fire as he snaked a path along Bonnie's spine. When he reached a new ridge his tongue would lazily lick the elevated skin. Sometimes he would play a little game, sketching a word on her back without the use of his hand, "What did I just spell?"

Her giggles drifted to the air before she responded, "Bonnie." His lips caressed her skin again and she concentrated, visualizing the motions and connecting the dots to the appropriate letter of the alphabet.

"Now?" His tone fell to a seductive whisper and she swore that she would and could climax from that alone.

"Mine."

_This was dangerous._

Quietly locked away in Mason's bedroom at the Lockwood estate, Bonnie opened up her body and mind to a stranger. It wasn't love, not even lust, those were the lies she recited over and over again like a new incantation forcing its way beneath her skull. Loneliness did this, propelled her to this place and time. His hands slipped beneath the band of her bra. She shifted aiding him in his attempt at removing the satin and lace from her body. The material wouldn't give and she heard the snap when it popped and ripped from the seam. Another one of Victoria's secrets ruined.

"Oops." He murmured and her body vibrated from the bass in his voice. "I'll buy you a new one."

Mason was obviously stronger than the few boys who had been lucky enough to go this far with little Miss Bennett, but she had no doubt that his strength exceeded that of an average man. Maybe even a vampire.

She watched as he forced himself to be gentle, careful to roll her over on her back, without marking her skin. She felt something hiding under the surface each and every time his fingers connected with hers. It was an electric current threatening to singe her skin at the point of contact. The feeling was different, nothing like the brief flashes of fear that she felt upon initially meeting Stefan. Instead it was almost comforting.

They were kindred.

"What are you?" Mason spoke softly as he placed kisses on her belly.

"Yours," Bonnie took advantage of Mason's divided attentions and pushed him down on the mattress and straddled his waist. "Remember."

She cried out when his wet tongue met her left nipple. "Mmmmmhmmmm…"

One finger then two slipped inside her slickened heat. Bonnie hated that Mason refused to do more than bring her to completion with his hand.

"When you're eighteen." He bit her neck with each word.

That's what he said every time they were together. He was scared but what he didn't know, was so was she. Just as Mason was frightened that Bonnie would decide take her body and love to a partner closer to her age, she worried that someone from his past, a woman who was older and wiser, and not her would steal his heart away.

"When I'm eighteen," Her hand slipped between them and grabbed the bulge fighting for freedom from his shorts, "I can have this." She pushed their repetitive debates from her head and focused on the things he was going to do to her body.

"Come here."

Willingly she went, brushing his lips with hers, and tasting the mint on his tongue. Their kiss deepened as her hips met the flick of his wrist. His fingers were clawing inside of her, stroking her clit, separating her folds.

"Shit, I want to taste you."

Bonnie smiled, she had him and if she kept going, Mason Lockwood would be hers long before her eighteenth birthday.

"Then do it." She nipped his bottom lip. "Our little secret.

Mason lifted her higher until she could feel his breath on her sex. He lowered her, separating her inner lips with his fingers before he tortuously flicked his tongue over her swollen flesh. She shivered, struggling to maintain her composure. She gripped his hair and mirrored the syncopated rhythm of his tongue. She felt her orgasm when it began to build.

Bonnie squeezed her breasts, threw her head back, and accepted the final thrust he offered. There was no need for begging; Mason brought her to the edge and back, before he took her there again.

She slipped into sleep in the safety of his arms and soon he followed.

Neither of them saw Tyler when he opened the door and discovered their Monday afternoon secret.


	3. Friends and Lovers

_Wow. You guys love yourselves some Mason and Bonnie, don't you. Well this chapter's title is a little deceiving. There's no heat this time around. A lot of friendly fluff and comfort. Thank you so much for all your kind words and support. I love reading your reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter and more to come soon. _

_** Friends and Lovers**_

Bonnie had managed to avoid Tyler and his look of concern for nearly a week. When their eyes met between classes, she immediately found a teacher, administrator, or severely unpopular student to occupy her time. He would nod, smirk, and continue in the opposite direction. She knew eventually that he would catch up to her, cornering her in the hallway and demanding some type of explanation for the memory permanently etched in his brain.

Brutal truth – she didn't have one.

Mason Lockwood entered Bonnie's life like a thunderstorm on a sunny summer afternoon. Without warning, full of intensity, and ready unleash a hailstorm of epic proportions. She couldn't explain it, this thing with him felt right. Darkness and despair had consumed Bonnie since the death of her grandmother. There was no outlet for the emotions threatening to overtake her, except for magic. The confidence in her ability grew and so did the threat to those she claimed to love. Never, would she have considered ending the life of a friend, yet, that had been the plan with Caroline. The decision making process was no longer cut and dry or black and white. Shades of gray surrounded her. She knew that, with one look into the older Lockwood's face.

It made no sense to be captivated by his eyes or intoxicated by his lips.

But she was…

She should have accepted the excuses he made after they first kissed. She shouldn't have pursued him. And she damn sure shouldn't have let him do half the things he did to her body behind closed doors.

Bonnie checked her phone minute by minute in the hope that he had sent a text during their time apart. Simple smiley faces brightened her mood, but most of the time she received words. Full sentences and phrases eloquently versed about how her lashes fluttered when she submersed in a dream or the perfect pout of her lips just before they curved into decadent smile when she swallowed the first spoonful of vanilla ice cream. Never did he say he missed her or needed her or liked her a lot - she accepted that.

It was physical…nothing more than lust…

And there she went telling unnecessary lies to herself. Maybe if she recited the words long enough she would learn to believe them.

On Wednesday Bonnie spent her entire lunch period in the library. She studied the note cards she'd prepared in anticipation of her presentation for Mr. Saltzman's class later that afternoon. The time spent in solitude also granted her a rare reprieve from the overwhelming display of PDA put on by all her coupled up friends.

Unfortunately one of those friends discovered her hiding place.

Tyler said nothing as he dropped his bookbag on the floor and turned the chair around so his chest pressed against the firm wooden back. He waited for her to acknowledge his presence and when she didn't he slid a Hershey's kiss across the table. Immediately Bonnie became that ten year old girl with an unrequited crush on the cutest boy in fifth grade.

His left brow lifted and a cocky grin she had loved for years spread across his face. "Thought you might be hungry."

Bonnie giggled and was quickly shushed by the head librarian. She accepted the abuse and Tyler's peace offering. Her eyes ceased to roll and her heavy sighs subsided while her fingers quickly disposed of the wrapper separating her from the bundle of chocolate in her hands. She popped the morsel in her mouth and waited for her friend's speech.

"Ready to talk."

She crossed her arms against her chest and sat back in the chair.

"First, you are sexy as hell – barefoot and naked- running across my driveway in the middle of the afternoon."

It was official; Bonnie Bennett would die of embarrassment today.

Tyler and Bonnie had never been the best of friends. The word was too shallow to describe what they shared. In kindergarten they bullied anyone who attempted to touch their blocks during center time. They were known as the team terrors in third grade during soccer season - she as the goalie and he was the kid with the strongest and most accurate head shot. Fifth grade she fell into like with her friend and hated the butterflies that he created in her tummy. After that, though they hung with different crowds, Bonnie still considered Tyler someone she could always trust and depend on. Yes, he was occasionally an asshole, but not with her.

Tyler dragged his chair next to Bonnie and dropped his head on her shoulder.

She allowed her head to roll over and rest on his, "I don't need a lecture."

"No lecture, Bon, just talk."

Bonnie played with the foil wrapper avoiding the impending conversation.

"You make him happy."

She didn't have to ask who.

Bonnie leaned in and whispered. "Promise you won't tell."

Tyler laced his fingers through Bonnie's, "Whatever," He grumbled. "You sound just like him." He gave her hand a squeeze.

She felt the tears when they filled her eyes. She swallowed and willed them to stay inside.

"I'm happy for you and Caroline…Stefan and Elena…it hurts to be alone." When she met Tyler's warm eyes she nearly melted, "I feel safe and protected and a little less crazy."

"You're not crazy. Bonnie, you're special." He brushed a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, "Are you going to tell him?"

She dropped her gaze back to the table and mumbled, "Tell him what – about the witch thing?"

Tyler wrapped an arm around Bonnie's waist and cradled her to his chest, "That would be good too, but I was talking about how you feel."


	4. Confession is Good for the Body and Soul

_Again I say thank you. Seriously you guys are beyond awesome. I adore you. I appreciate your support. Thanks for reading and commenting. Call this a transition chapter – some reflections and confessions. Also, just to let you know, in spite of the big character reveal from Thursday's episode, it won't affect this fic. I had already made a decision on how this one would end. So consider this a safe – positive Mason space. Hope you enjoy the update. _

_**Confession is Good for the Body and Soul**_

It would be the first Friday night Bonnie had spent away from Mason since their impromptu meeting on the chip aisle in the local grocery store and the kiss that should have never been. Fridays quickly turned into Monday afternoons following practice, Wednesdays before major tests, and any other day and excuse that the two could create. Tonight was different. She was growing closer to the man everyday and it made her cherish things that she had forgotten and overlooked – her friends. Bonnie desperately needed to do damage control.

Caroline was a vampire. A semi – heartbroken teenager with fangs who had found love with her ex – boyfriend's best friend and been disowned by her mother all in the course of a month. When she was unhappy the entire cheerleading squad suffered which in turn made the first string of the football team face tortuous practices because her now boyfriend messed up every play he ran.

Things had to get better.

Elena was torn between two brothers, sort of, her priorities were to Stefan, but it was obvious even to the casual observer, that there was something brewing below the surface between the brunette and Damon. Time would tell whether it was due to the fact that Elena shared Katherine's face or if the elder Salvatore found someone else he could care for.

Fingers crossed – things would get better.

Then there was Bonnie Bennett, hopelessly in love with a man way too old to even be on her radar. Add to the mix that she'd failed to tell him about her very supernatural genetic makeup, and she continued to lie to her friends. The girls' relationship was strained from the twists and turns that their every day lives now took. The evil vamps that showed up looking for a good time. The death and destruction left in their wake. The standard perils of high school existence. Six months ago, no one expected for Caroline to part ways with Matt or Damon to receive honorary membership to the Scooby gang.

The little witch decided to take matters into her own hands.

Bonnie walked up to her friends after school, books clutched tightly to her chest, all while terrorizing her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Plan."

Caroline was the first to bite.

"Share."

"Slumber party - dreamsicle shooters – eight o'clock – my place."

Elena squealed and wrapped her arms around Bonnie's neck, "I've missed you."

Bonnie's lips curved into a crooked grin as she walked to her car and reviewed the plan for the night. Her dad wouldn't be a problem since he was out of town on yet another business trip. Tyler could score a bottle or three of Vanilla schnapps for the drinks, and she had a ton of fattening, completely unhealthy food in the freezer and cabinets at home.

The steady vibration of the phone in her pocket interrupted her thoughts, "Right on time." She mumbled before digging for the slim contraption and sliding it open.

"What are you wearing?"

He sucked as a prank caller but she decided to play along.

"Jeans, pink tee, a gray hoodie that smells strangely like someone I know, and my new favorite lace – trimmed bra and…"

She heard his voice creep up an octave in excitement, "The one with the little pink bow?"

"That would be the one."

Bonnie imagined his face and the light playing in his blue eyes. She had to be crazy, pushing him away; even it was only for the evening.

"About tonight." She would let him down easily and promise to make it up to him later.

"Yeah…tonight."

"I sort of made plans for a girls night in with Caroline and Elena." He was silent on the other end, but she could hear the rise and fall of his chest and the disappointment that filled the airwaves even if he failed to express it. "Things have been insane. I've done some things. They've done some things."

"No explanation necessary. We're friends. You don't have to apologize for making other plans."

He'd relegated her to the friend zone.

"Yeah your friend." Her voice fell to a whisper, "_that you buy sexy little undies for._"

Bonnie slid into the driver's seat of her car and threw her bookbag and purse on the passenger's side. She started the car, turned up the music, and placed the car in drive.

"Bonnie…" Mason's voice was apprehensive.

"What." She immediately regretted biting his head off.

"Are you sure you have to do this girls' night in?" His voice dropped lower and she knew she had hurt his feelings even if he never admitted it, "Bon…I…"

She wasn't ready to hear his next words, "Yes, I need to do this." She wouldn't give in - she couldn't give in – she gave in, "Tyler has something I need for tonight." Bonnie swore she heard Mason growl, "Why don't you bring it by around six, before Caroline and Elena arrive."

"See you then."

**1234**

Bonnie's front door opened at exactly five on the dot. It wasn't her father. Barely out of the shower, she pulled her wavy hair into a high ponytail and slipped on a pair of black pants and a matching tank. Flying from the confines of her bedroom; she found Mason at the bottom of the stairs, two bottles in hand and an eat shit grin spread across his lips.

"Damn, I knew I should have showed up at 4:30, I could have joined you."

Mason stopped knocking weeks ago. He knew where the spare key was hidden beneath the painted flower pot on the front porch. The Bennett residence was now referred to as his second home.

She walked down the stairs and brushed past him, taking the bottles, before she headed to the kitchen. He followed close behind, making snide remarks about how she filled out her yoga pants and how thin tank left little to his imagination

"Pervert."

She replied with amusement in her voice.

"You like it."

She loved it.

Mason saddled up behind Bonnie, snaking his arms around her waist, before reaching for a cookie off the pan she removed from the oven before hitting the shower. He killed three chocolate chips and two sugar cookies while he watched her prep for the night's guests.

"Do they know?"

He reached for another cookie and she popped his hand, "No."

Bonnie felt his body tense behind her, "Oh."

She was 0 – 2 for the day. She turned around in his arms, "Oh…what does that mean?"

Mason shifted his gaze and stared at the space above her head.

"It was your idea to keep this quiet, Mason Lockwood." Bonnie ducked from his grasp and moved towards the den. He grabbed the slinky material of her tank, pulling her flush into his chest, before he began to explain his reaction.

"I see the way other guys look at you...Salvatore," She knew exactly which brother he was referring to. There was no love lost between the men. Mason's lips found the back of her neck, "half the football team." He nipped at her shoulder, "Even Tyler…you're beautiful." He said the words with reverence and her heart skipped a beat.

For a second time, Bonnie attempted to pull away, but Mason's hold was too strong. A strange flicker of energy passed between them. She didn't want to confront what she was feeling. She'd done her best to avoid her building attachment, since the conversation with Tyler, but it was useless. Her heart was linked to the man her kitchen. Despite her best efforts to remain neutral and keep this thing light, fun, she wanted more than hand jobs and Friday night cuddle sessions.

Bonnie thought about the grandmother she lost, the father whose heart had turned to ice after her mother's death, and the man whose arm's now provided a place of refuge. The words were a whisper when she said them and she prayed he was paying attention because she didn't know if she would have the strength to say them again.

"I want more."

She shut her eyes tightly, frightened by his potential response.

He shifted her in his arms, turning her body to face him. His fingers were warm as they brushed across her lashes, down her cheeks, and finally to her lips. His kiss was chaste and full of something she couldn't name.

"I'm yours…all of me"

She tried not to take his declaration literally, even when his hands drifted lower to cup her behind as he lifted her onto the counter. Pans, plates, cups, and trays clattered to the floor. They had enjoyed their share of intimate moments without fully consummating their relationship. Kisses, touches had been fevered and steeped in lust.

This time it was different. He studied her face before meeting her lips again. She struggled to catch her breath before his warm fingers slipped beneath her shirt and drew lazy circles on the taut skin of her belly. She hummed in delight with the touch of his hand. She resisted the urge to cry out in pleasure when his mouth moved from hers to her neck. Instinctively her legs wrapped around his waist and she pulled him closer.

He allowed her the brief moment of control.

Bonnie could sense the shift in the atmosphere. The rise of her power, in her current state it was impossible to control what she felt. Her mouth began to move, she recognized the old language that comprised her spells, but she didn't understand its relevance in the given moment.

There was sexual and primal tension circling them as they gave in to their carnal desires. Mason continued to nibble at her neck. She felt his mouth open wider and when his teeth met the tender flesh of her shoulder, she didn't protest. Her nails dug into his scalp just as she realized they had begun to levitate above the countertop.

He leapt from his position on top of her and landed on all fours on the tiled floor.

"What are you?"

Bonnie shook her head in disbelief, "I could ask you the same question."


	5. Howl

_Hectic week - sorry the update delays. More coming on Shag, Snog, Marry, Kill later. Have an excellent weekend. Thank you for your support guys. I know I keep saying it, but you rock. Words can't even begin to express how I feel about all of you. _

_**Disclaimer:** Don't own the characters or Florence Welch's awesome lyrics. _

**_Howl_**

_If you could only see the beast you've made of me  
I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free  
Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart  
drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart_

_1234**5**_

"Are we gonna talk about this?"

Bonnie's voice shook with the words. Her body drifted from the air and she landed gently on the ground. She held her breath and tip – toed to where Mason was still poised on his hands and feet. She knelt down beside him and ran her fingers down the curve his spine. The man's body immediately relaxed. His eyes shifted from blue to a beautiful gold, and in that second she knew exactly what he was. She needed him to trust her. She wanted him to open up and share, but how could she make that request and not be willing to honor his if he asked.

It came out as a whisper, "I'm a witch."

Mason rolled his head from side to side before he settled on the floor, long legs crossed in seemingly uncomfortable position. He was hesitant when he wrapped one chiseled arm around her waist. He buried his head in her hair and finally shared his burden.

"I killed my best friend."

She noticed he flinched when her face turned and her eyes met his. He shirked from her touch when her hand reached for the sandy curls on top of his head, but he continued his confession. "The Lockwoods, cursed to bend to the power of a full moon." His voice held a sarcastic edge, but Bonnie could hear the pain buried in his tone.

"One of my best friend's is a vampire because of my personal vendetta against Damon Salvatore, and the havoc he's wrecked on this town." Bonnie dropped her gaze to her lap, "I'm the reason why your brother died." She watched as his arm shifted from the protective half hug to the comforting gesture of fingers entwined with hers.

"No you're not, things happen for a reason. Your gift…"

Bonnie's voice elevated and the dull thud of her heart pounded against her chest. "It's not a gift Mason, my Grams died, because I begged her to use this." Her eyes focused, the doors opened, the lights flickered, and the heat of the fire, blazing from the pilot light on the stove could be felt before its aroma found their noses.

"Bonnie."

Her name was a heavenly prayer on his lips. It pulled her from the darkness threatening to overtake her soul. The noises died, the flames evaporated, and all that remained was the understanding that filled his eyes.

"Why is it a gift for me and a death sentence for you?" She moved to stand and fell back to the ground. Her emotional showcase took a toll on her physical state. His arms were there waiting.

His grip tightened as he slowly began to speak, "I can't control this; I'm doomed to hurt everything and everyone I love. I never want Tyler to feel this. I can't take a chance with…"

"Let _me_ worry about _me_." She removed his arm from her body and pressed her palm into his hand, relishing the feeling that rolled through her. He moved closer, inhaling her scent as he trailed his lips along her jaw and down her neck. His breath tickled against her skin. She forgave the chapped lips that nibbled at the spot he'd bitten during their passionate exchange.

Marked by a werewolf, Bonnie's bond to Mason intensified with his physical pledge. She'd known their destinies were intertwined, from their first meeting. When his tongue darted from his mouth and found her skin, she shuddered, "Does this mean I belong to you?"

His laughter gave way to something darker and the icy fingers of fear stroked her skin.

"I read a legend once about a witch and a werewolf."

She nodded, urging him to continue with the touch of her lips.

"He killed her when she betrayed him with a vampire."

The doorbell rang before she had an opportunity to address his concern. With a kiss to her forehead, he pulled her from the floor, and escorted her to the door.

Mason ignored the matching looks of surprise on Elena and Caroline's face as he walked through the entry way and out to his truck.

**5**4321

Elena followed Bonnie into the house, her hand pointed in the direction of Mason's retreating vehicle. "What was that?"

Caroline stood at the door, blowing her nails, impatient and irritated by the friends that continued to ignore her, "Um, hello, invite necessary."

"Come in Care Bear." Bonnie threw over her shoulder before she fell to the ground and worked to clean up the mess from her small display of power in the kitchen, "Nothing E, Mason just dropped something off for Ty."

"Bullshit, Fido smelled like he was heat."

Bonnie and Elena both turned to stare at Caroline.

"What – perk of my newly enhanced senses." The baby vamp reached for the chips before she collapsed at the kitchen table, "And I'm not even going to talk about the pheromones you're giving off, Bon Bon."

"Spell that." Bonnie rolled her eyes as she threw the ruined cookies in the trash and tried to escape her friends' impromptu intervention.

"Both of you stop it." Elena didn't say another word, but leveled a look in Bonnie's direction.

There was no point in continuing to deny the truth, "It started a few months ago, that night at the Grill."

Elena chimed in before Bonnie could add anymore details.

"He's like thirty."

"And how old is Stefan, Elena, way past seventeen." The novice witch regretted the hateful tone she used and the look of hurt that registered on her friend's face. She cushioned the blow, "He's only twenty – five."

"Seven years, that's only one dog year, so you're cool." Caroline grabbed her stomach, "I am so friggin' hungry."

As Caroline rummaged through the cabinets and fridge, Elena forced Bonnie to sit down, and stop dancing around the issue, "I don't want to see you get hurt. I'm sorry I haven't been there. I don't know how you stay so strong in spite of everything. You deserve some hot ass guy that's going to love you, protect you, and do all the things Eric did to that stripper from Estonia."

Bonnie laughed when Elena winked, but the brunette's face quickly turned to stone with her ominous warning.

"Just make sure it's real and right."

"Thank you." She clutched her friend's hand and motioned for Caroline to join them. "Both of you…I've been a bitch and I'm sorry."

Caroline placed an arm around Bonnie's shoulder, "You just need to get laid."

The only human among them groaned, "Is that your answer to everything?"

The vamp shook her head, "Yep."

Bonnie sat up on her knees, "Wait, who said I wasn't?"

"Yeah right, Mason wouldn't have let us in, _if_ that was already going on between…."

"Elena!" Bonnie tried to sound offended, but in all honesty, Elena was right. She immediately became conscious of the marking that darkening to a deep purple on her skin. She pulled her hair down, but not before Caroline's hand pushed her head to the side in an examination of the bruise.

"Oh my GOD…he…marked you."

The friends circled around their beloved witch.

"This is serious, Tyler hasn't even…" Caroline's voice trailed off and her eyes took on a distant gleam.

"It just happened – heat of the moment – it doesn't mean anything."

She threw up her hands, signaling that the conversation was over.

Bonnie brushed her bottom off after she stood and Elena followed her into the den. The witch spun around to face her friend, out of breath, and flustered by the continued discussion of her now active love life.

Elena's stance mirrored Bonnie's, arms crossed, brows furrowed, and lips twisted into a frown.

"When are you going to stop lying to yourself, that mark changes more than your relationship status."


	6. Story Time

Just a quick little update...love y'all

**_Story Time_**

Bonnie wasn't surprised when Alaric asked her to stay after class. His eyes had drifted in the direction of her seat for the entire length of the period. She'd bumped into him leaving the Salvatore Boarding House a day or two after Elena's interrogation. It was only a matter of time before he asserted his fatherly authority in the hope of deterring any thoughts of continuing her tryst with the resident werewolf. She took the first seat on the third row, arranged her books in a perfect stack, and placed a sickeningly sweet smile on her face. Alaric closed and locked the door. He shuffled around a few folders on his desk before coming to stand in front of her. He was handsome and it was no secret that Elena's aunt Jenna was crazy about him. Mr. Saltzman was a nice man. Bonnie hated to be disrespectful so she bridled her thoughts and steadied her tongue.

"Mr. Saltzman, I know Elena and Stefan asked you to speak to me about," She paused how should she refer to him, was he an acquaintance, friend, boyfriend, or more, "my attachment to Mason. I appreciate their concern but it's really not necessary."

"That's where you're wrong, Bonnie."

His delivery was so matter of fact that it sent chills down her spine.

"Isobel spent hours reviewing your grandmother's research." He settled on the edge of his desk, "I called Vanessa down at Duke and had her FedEx over a few articles of interest."

Bonnie shifted in her seat, but continued to listen.

"Did you know a witch's powers can be bound by the eldest member of her line until she is ready to ascend, death is the only occurrence that can release the hold."

He had her full attention; she had to remind herself to breathe.

"Upon ascending, depending on the line, the witch sometimes inherits the powers of her ancestors, as well as one distinguishing gift wholly her own." He was up now, pacing the floor as he read the time – stained pages in the folder, "Premonitions are your gift. Sheila had an art for summoning those who had crossed over, and Emily was a master spell caster. At eighteen you will receive your full portion power, including what was possessed by those who walked before you."

"So now I'm the girl version of Caleb Danvers and one-third of the Charmed witches?"

He laughed and for a second the tension left her body, "No Bonnie, pop culture can't compare to the true nature of what you're destined to become. Sheila worried about you, it's one reason she stayed in the Falls. She was eccentric but brilliant, ivy – league schools courted her all the time, but the Bennetts are as much a part of Mystic Falls as the Salvatores and the Lockwoods."

The mention of Mason's familial name even in casual conversation made her skin burn. Bonnie had to get out of this room and Alaric's disapproving eyes.

"Thanks for the history lesson, but I still don't get what all of this has to do with who I choose to spend my time with."

"Mason marked you, correct?"

"It was a love bite, that's all - a hickie gone wrong."

Alaric pulled back the collar of her shirt, the purple bruising was still evident, the bite mark prominent and visible.

"He pledged his life until death with that bite. For centuries witches have consorted with werewolves. They've used them as lovers, vengeance dealers, and protectors. Mason Lockwood is bonded to you."

Bonnie sat motionless, unable to comprehend what she had heard. In some small way she'd known that her link to the chip aisle stranger would become more than hot make out sessions and oral interludes. She never thought it would turn out to be something of this magnitude.

"Did…you tell Elena and…Stefan."

"No." He knelt before the desk where she sat, "This is between you and Mason…no one else. What I need you to understand." His hand was warm and soft on top of hers. She wanted to cry, this is what she'd wanted from her father for so long. "Your life is about to change. Witches are attractive to two breeds of supernatural, werewolves and vampires. As you near your eighteenth birthday, that attraction will heighten, Mason's urge to protect you, claim you will increase. Ultimately you decide your fate; Sheila and Emily chose to be alone. You don't have to doom yourself to a life of loneliness; maybe your path will be different."

Bonnie nodded, forcing the beat of her heart to regulate. She was still in a daze when she emerged from the school. She didn't notice the sleek black car parked next to hers, or Damon Salvatore adorning her hood like an ornament.

"Little witch, we need to talk about some nasty rumors I'm hearing about you."

She threw her bag in the trunk and attempted to get into her car. If she ran him over, decapitated him with her left tire, maybe she could receive a commendation for ridding the universe of Damon Salvatore.

"Damon." She blew a flame from her finger to the toe of his boot and watched it slowly begin to burn.

"I love your little foreplay games, it just makes me so damn hard."

He pressed her back against the car door and she quickly realized that he was not lying.

"Oh Damon, that's so cute, what is that in your pocket, chapstick…wait that's your pitiful excuse of a dick."

Telekinesis was always her favorite power. She loved it even more when it sent the vampire sailing into the windshield of his car.

Bonnie only had enough time to catch her breath before he mounted a second attack.

"Look I don't like the fact you're hanging around with that dog. If you wanted to fuck an older man, you should have said so. End it now or I promise…"

"Promise to do what Damon? Please finish that sentence so I know exactly why I'm about to kill you."

She hadn't heard Mason approach. Her body responded to his proximity and her momentary fear subsided.

"Not if I kill you first."

Damon and Mason quickly locked in battle and Bonnie wished that Alaric would have kept his bedtime stories to himself.


	7. Co Dependency

_Okay, I got attacked by the angst fairy with this update. Maybe it's because I'm still in mourning after last night's episode. Anyway - enjoy babes - two more chapters to go. _

_**Co- Dependency**_

"Mason."

Bonnie called his name with an unyielding authority. He responded - back straightened - head turned to meet the sound of her voice. She wedged her body between the two obstinate men. She had never seen Damon back down from a fight, even when it was warranted, but this battle was one he couldn't win. Mason Lockwood was the only viable threat to the vampire. One bite under the light of the full moon was all that was required to send Damon Salvatore to his final resting place. Even _he _didn't deserve that.

Tenderly, Bonnie cupped Mason's face, reassuring him with soft sounds and light touches. His eyes were far from the cerulean blue she adored and they were tainted by the monster fighting for control within him. The full moon was less than forty – eight hours away and Damon Salvatore was unaware that he was fully involved in a dangerous game that would lead to certain death.

_Mason Lockwood is bonded to you._

Alaric's shared knowledge proved valuable. What she had felt over the time spent with Mason was deeper than their initial physical attraction. She guided his head lower until their foreheads were pressed together, "Go home." She placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "I'll be there soon."

Damon's presence and sarcasm did little to fortify her attempts to convince Mason to leave.

"Be a good little doggy and obey your owner."

Mason growled and Bonnie leveled Damon with the ground beneath their feet by employing a simple thought.

The witch allowed her focus to return to the man whose face she held tightly between her hands. The power Isobel's research spoke of weaved a thread between Bonnie and the werewolf. Peaceful thoughts flowed from her mind's eye to his. Unspoken desires threatened to unleash a different beast; however Bonnie repeated her request, ignoring the silent echo of her body, "Go home."

Mason tossed a look of disdain in the direction of the vampire writhing in pain on the pavement. Bonnie slipped her hand into his and gave it a little squeeze, "I'll be fine - Damon doesn't stand a chance against me."

Once he was safely out of the parking lot, her thoughts and energy slipped back to the irritating specimen at her feet, "Give it a rest Damon, he's gone. Ass kicking averted - now get up."

"I don't think I like your tone young lady."

Bonnie watched as Damon struggled to stand, she offered no assistance, "I just saved your life, show a little gratitude."

"Come off it, young…dumb…and full of…"

The vampire clutched the right side of his head as she stepped closer.

"Watch your mouth Salvatore or I'll finish what Mason started."

She gave him a moment to regain his composure. When he offered no explanation for his afternoon visit she walked towards her car.

"Bonnie…wait…"

She paused but refused to face Damon, "What vampire?"

"I heard Pinky and the Brain talking."

Why did he have to be so funny?

"Come on you know that was hilarious witch, Stefan's forehead looks just like the Brain's."

Swallowing her laugh, she finally met Damon's eyes, "What…do…you…want?"

"We can't talk here, follow me to the manor."

Bonnie crossed the threshold of the Salvatore mansion ten minutes later with a full blown attitude. She searched for the vampire calling his name along with her favorite insults.

"You've got five minutes Damon."

She finally found him hidden away in the massive library with a bag of blood nearly drained and a serious look on his face.

"Sit down."

Bonnie groaned internally recognizing the tone her father often used when he needed to discuss something of importantance; another trip - broken promise – unfair demand. She crossed her arms against her chest and collapsed into the leather chair in the center of the room.

He poured a drink before he took a seat on the arm of her chair, "I wonder why wolf boy doesn't like me?" His fingers lifted a few stray strands from her face.

She evaded his touch, "Maybe it has something to do with a silver blade in his stomach."

"He put vervain in my lemonade."

Damon whined like a petulant child.

"Can you try to act 145…please…just for today."

The conversation was headed south; first Alaric, now Damon, who would be next – Sheriff Forbes?

"Bullshit aside Bonnie, enough with your little supernatural romance, it's over between you and Mason."

Who in the hell, died and made him her protector? She didn't need to hear another word; she stood and bolted for the door only to meet the vampire's cold frame before she could exit the room. He pushed her to the chair and forced her to sit, but he couldn't make her listen.

"He's an animal."

"You've got nerve."

"He'll hurt you."

"More than you?"

"Low blow even for you little miss perfect."

Damon walked to the bar, opting for the entire bottle, instead of refilling his glass. She was intrigued. He had returned to Mystic Falls over a year ago and his devotion was reserved for Elena for that entire time. Now he expressed uncharacteristic concern for her and despite what he might say it had nothing to do with one time promise to Emily Bennett.

"Why does this really matter to you?"

His lips twisted into a frown, "Something doesn't feel right." He looked at her, really scrutinized her, and she felt vulnerable.

"Time's up."

He didn't try to stop her but his next words planted a seed of doubt within the soul of her heart.

"Just think about it Bonnie, no one should hold that much control over another. Not even in the name of love. It can only lead to destruction. Trust me I know. In the end he'll hate you."

"Mason's not you Damon."

"I know…that's what scares me."

There was a meaning hidden in his final statement but she didn't have the strength to dissect his cryptic code.

Sheriff Forbes gave Bonnie a half - hearted smile and a hesitant wave as she exited the Lockwood home. Mason's face was filled with tense lines and none of the light she'd grown accustomed to seeing. He punched the wall, once he was sure they were alone. She stared at the gaping hole and then the man's swollen left hand. Passion and anger ran deep in the blood of the men of their family.

She prodded, "What happened?"

He stiffened when she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Liz stopped by to remind me that in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the age of consent is eighteen."

"We should send her by to have a little discussion with Stefan and Elena."

Her attempt to lighten the mood was not well received.

"This isn't funny, Bonnie. We have to stop."

"You know what…fuck you…Mason Lockwood. I am tired of everyone telling me this has to end, first Alaric, then Damon, and now you. I thought you weren't going to fight me anymore. I thought you understood what I was feeling and you love..." She threw her hands up in surrender, "Cared about me…now you want to leave me alone too."

The merry-go-round with Mason was worse than a rickety old ride at the fair. She felt sick to her stomach. Her head was pounding. She couldn't stand to lose one more thing she cared about. She finally had her friends back, only to have them unite against her to rid her life of the only happiness she'd known in months. Maybe she deserved it after they way she'd treated Caroline and her unfair bias against Stefan and yes even Damon.

Before Bonnie could walk away, she felt Mason's arm circle her waist and pull her to him.

"I can't leave you Bonnie. I'm here as long as you want me."

_No one should hold that much control over another…not even in the name of love._

She closed her eyes willing the tears to stop.

"I'll always want you Mason."

He held her. There were no kisses. No attempts to break the promise to wait. For once Mason needed Bonnie just as much as she needed him.


	8. The Weight of the Moon

_Okay so last update, I said two chapters to go...well after working on this installment...I'll need to slip one more in there. So the Scribe storyteller fairies have been kind to you. Two more chapters to go. Enjoy._

_**The Weight of the Moon**_

Bonnie slammed the door of her car and took off into the trees located at the south end of the Lockwood mansion. The lights were on in the home and she was sure that Susan Lockwood was inside wondering what trouble her brother – in – law and son were up to that night. For a moment the witch stood in the backyard, recalling Saturday afternoons she shared with Tyler by the pool. Had his mother known the mayor's secret? Was her need for pills and alcohol directly tied to the stress and strain of their bloodline's precious gift or the woman's addictive personality? Did Bonnie have the strength to handle Mason and their possible future differently?

She took off running to where she knew her friend would be waiting. She entered the clearing an apology loaded and ready to be fired.

"Sorry." She bent at the waist, tying her shoe, panting and fighting to refill her lungs with air, "Stefan and Elena broke up for the third time this week; total b-f-f emergency, lots of ice cream, and under-age drinking."

Bonnie's voice bounced off the trees and returned to her ears. She walked hurriedly to where Tyler was leaning against Mason's truck. Out of breath and sweating, she took his outstretched hand and struggled to keep up with his pace as they headed in the direction of the old Lockwood plantation. Her friend hesitated, nearly causing them to trip over a small pile of rocks. He stopped dead in tracks and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Question…" Her eyes widened when his hands slipped from her shoulders to her hands. She smiled a little from the gentle squeeze Tyler offered when their fingers entwined. She watched him intently, waiting for him to ask his inevitable question, "Are you ready for this?"

"I've…"

"Don't give me that stuff about doing what's best for Mason, me, or any other name you can pull out of your ass." Tyler looked over his shoulder, "This is some scary assed shit Bon, and if you don't want to or can't deal with it, then it's okay to walk away. Don't let delusional loyalty stop you from taking care of Bonnie."

Despite their current location and the pending situation, Bonnie busted out laughing; full riotous laughter that filled the air around them and caused Tyler to fall into her as both their bodies tumbled to the ground. He landed on top and her lungs nearly collapsed from the pressure of his solid weight.

She nudged him off of her, "I'm so not a football player and you're crushing me – I can't breathe."

Tyler shifted and brought her head down to rest on his chest, "If my name were Mason…"

"Ha…Ha…Ha…So funny I forgot to laugh." Bonnie sat up so she could see her friend's face. "How long did you practice that little speech in the mirror?"

"A full hour, Mason even approved, and told me he didn't want to know your answer."

"He should know my answer by now." Her voice was laced with sarcasm. She ignored the dull ache in her chest, stood, and pulled Tyler up with her. "Let's go."

Tyler grabbed the bag next to the tail end of the truck, took Bonnie's hand and they disappeared into the woods. They walked in silence, hands still linked, each taking a moment to appreciate the stars in the night sky and the uninterrupted peace they were able to share. He had always been her friend, for as long as she could remember. He never had a selfish agenda. This time she paused and faced him. Noting the way the moonlight played with the color of his eyes and flecks of gold that his repressed nature induced.

"Thank you." Tyler scoffed a little at her subtle praise, but she pressed the issue, "I mean it. I know everyone is worried about me and this situation with Mason, but you're the only one who has supported me…us…no matter what you really think."

He took a deep breath and leveled his gaze at the witch, "I think for once I see two people I truly care about, working beyond their demons together. Do you know how major it was for Mason to agree to you being here tonight?"

Bonnie dropped her head in shame, "I didn't give him the chance to say no."

The two started to walk again.

"You're so spoiled."

Tyler offered with a smile in his voice, gently bumping her with his shoulder.

"I'm scared." Bonnie echoed in the faintest whisper. "I want him to trust me. I feel like if he can't, I'll lose him. I don't think I can take…" It was a helpless feeling that she hated.

"I know he's said this and I'm saying this, you're stuck with the Lockwoods." Tyler brushed the hair from her face, "You're not my friend - you're my family."

Bonnie's eyes fell on Mason's form. He was bare from the waist up. A thin sheen of sweat covered his body. His hair was matted to his head, small ringlets stuck to his forehead. She moved to rush to him and Tyler held her back.

"He needs me." Bonnie lifted the bag from Tyler's shoulder and walked slowly to where Mason stood, back pressed to the tree.

He had managed to wrap his body in four sets of chains. The backpack held the final set as well as a change of clothes. His eyes had completely shifted to gold. She could hear his heart pounding against his ribs.

"It's…not…safe…" He choked out between rapid breaths.

"You won't hurt me." She answered. The words were meant to convince Mason but thankfully they had an effect on her heart.

Her tiny hands dug the remaining chains from the bag. She wrapped them around his body, checking the potential for resistance before sealing his binds with a lock. She kissed him on his forehead, "I'll stay until it's over, and then we'll take you home.

"Tyler…" Mason's voice was rough and quickly losing its edge of humanity. "Don't let me hurt…her." 

She threw a look in her friend's direction, willing him to stay back, mouthing it was okay, and that she had it all under control. Mason's turmoil snatched Bonnie from her silent battle with Tyler.

He screamed, fighting the pain rolling through his body. Bonnie watched as he struggled against the chains in an attempt to gain his freedom. It went on for thirty minutes then an hour and finally two. Tyler led her to a nearby stump where he'd built a fire.

"Sit." Tyler urged her, "He's okay. He knows we're here."

She kept her eyes trained on the wolf. He never fully turned. His features would morph and return to normal.

Tyler leaned in, "He's stronger. He's growing more resistant. The first full moon he changed completely. The second he shifted after two hours of fighting and this time I think he'll make it all night."

There was a slight smile playing at his lips. He was so different from the Tyler everyone believed him to be. Bonnie laid her chin on his shoulder and stared up at him, "Do you worry?"

"About the family legacy," He shrugged. "I know how it's triggered. All I can do is work on controlling me. I don't want this for my mom, Caroline…" He met her eyes, "Or anyone else I love."

Bonnie leaned back, mouth slightly open.

"Come on Bon, you had to know by now." He gave her a playful wink, "It's not like that, but in a way it is." She read the confusion on his face as he struggled to understand the emotions at war within him, "Just know I'm always here."

She remembered the legends Alaric spoke of and the stories she'd read from countless google searches. She was less than a month away from her eighteenth birthday. Tyler possessed the supernatural gene of one of the species drawn to her, so it was only right that their relationship would be affected by the myth. She nodded, "Thank…"

Mason's piercing scream ripped through the air. Tyler and Bonnie cleared the distance between them and the man in seconds. Bonnie's hands cupped his face and a premonition entered the haze of her mind with contact. She gasped, fully understanding her connection to Mason and the purpose he held in her life.

Tyler shook her, "Bonnie what's wrong? What is it?"

"Nothing." She eased closer to Mason, chanting softly, calming his obviously frayed nerves. She continued over and over again. The words came easily; the melody soothing, creating an atmosphere of comfort around the three beings present. Mason finally drifted into an unconscious state.

Tyler stood in awe but he waited until they removed chains and arranged Mason in the backseat of the truck before he sought further answers. He stood, blocking Bonnie's entry into the front seat.

"How did you do that?"

She was shaky - tired - she could feel Mason's physical exhaustion as it drained her energy.

"I don't know...I really don't know."

It was impossible to read Tyler's expression in that moment, but he didn't leave her in suspense for, "You know what I do know?" She swayed on her feet and he caught her, "You love him..."

"I do." She kissed his cheek and he helped her up and into the seat before shutting the door.

"Lucky bastard." Tyler muttered breaking the tension between them.

"Don't be jealous. You'll always be my favorite Lockwood."

"Liar"

Bonnie stuck her tongue out and Tyler repeated her gesture before he climbed in the driver's seat and drove out of the woods. 

The sun's rays spread across Bonnie's skin. She groaned in irritation, snatching the covers from her body and covering her head. She felt the familiar prickle of stubble at the nape of her neck, the gentle rumble of laughter vibrating through her from his chest, and the inviting warmth of his arms. Perfection – there was no better wake up call.

Bonnie had helped Tyler unload Mason just after the sky began to fill with shades of orange, pink, and purple. He was shivering when they first slid him between the sheets. She'd joined him, intent on laying with him only until he slipped into a peaceful slumber. A piece of her worried about his physical, emotional, and mental state, she'd seen Stefan's response to his indulgence in human blood. Damon's emotional moodiness after an ungodly spree of violence and evil tied to his second nature. She didn't know how the man next to her would react to her presence and the continuous changes between them. Her lids had grown heavy with the rhythm of his heart and combined they lulled her into a land filled with vivid imagery.

Her dreams had been a mix of private fantasies interlaced with the premonition that came to her so clearly when she'd placed her hands on his skin the night before. Flashes of images at different stages of her life, he would be a friend, savior, lover, husband, and father; the final snapshot in her mind - one so poignant from early morning hour, two children; a girl with eyes of gold and a boy with fire in the palms of his hands.

"Mmmmmmm…" She moaned shifting to face him. His skin still smelt of the woods and she kissed his chest lightly reveling in the scent. She wrapped one leg around both of his and he snatched her body closer to his. There was a moment of embarrassment due to current level of undress.

"Good morning." He kissed the top of her head, eyelashes, and finally her lips.

He tightened their embrace and she immediately wanted more. She felt him stir against her inner thigh and knew if she didn't extract herself from his arms or that bed, then Sheriff Forbes would have a reason to make good on her implied threat.

"Three weeks." She mouthed against his lips before she stole the comforter and ran for the bathroom.


	9. A Gentlemen's Agreement

_Hi. One more update for Kisses. Check out my profile, there's a link for an accompanying fanmix for the story. The next chapter will cover the birthday part and uhem...sealing the deal between our fair couple. I've got a few PM requests I'm working on that will be more DamonxBonnie centric but don't fight the power that is Mason and Bonnie. Embrace it. That's all for now. Journeys update tomorrow. I'm going to climb in my bed. _

_**A Gentlemen's Agreement**_

Mason left Bonnie in Tyler's capable hands for the day and disappeared to Vienna, VA. The younger Lockwood had planned a hike and a ton of other physically exerting activities to keep her mind of Mason, Elena, and Caroline for twenty – four hours while they finalized the details for her birthday bash. She didn't want anything extravagant but they'd all ignored her and forged ahead with the night to remember. The lovely witch's birthday was a week away and Mason had procrastinated, shirking his assigned boyfriend duties. The thought made him laugh, he was twenty – five years old, hopelessly and helplessly smitten with a high school senior and he wouldn't have it any other way.

The two had met during a difficult period in both their lives. He'd spent most of his post college years as a hired day walker and protector for some of Eastern Florida's deadliest and nastiest bloodsuckers. Mason had seen a little bit of everything. Territory wars, weres strung out on the blood of fangers, and lives turned upside down. She'd struggled with coming to terms with her supernatural ability and the loss of her grandmother. Bonnie had nearly lost her life at the hands of Damon Salvatore and even just reflecting on her retelling of the story made him want to turn the car around and end the menacing vampire's life. He took a deep breath - things were getting better. Together, Mason and Bonnie had gained clarity, and found the comfort they longed for in one another.

His fingers gripped the steering wheel of his nephew's car.

Mason had made some dumb choices on his journey with teen beauty. He had marked her, partially out of need, but primarily out of obsessive desire for possession. Unlike, Bonnie, his mother and grandmother taught Mason and his brother the dangers and blessings of their curse. He'd avoided witches based on the warnings issued by both women.

_Beautiful packages with black hearts…_

Those had been his grandmother's words about Bonnie's kind. He remembered the book she'd opened before him; beautifully bound in burgundy leather with embossed gold lettering. Legends and myths of entrancing practitioners of magic who twisted the will of the men they claimed to love. Using the power that the moon held over them to fulfill their selfish wants for wealth and vengeance. That was not what he saw the night he first laid eyes on Bonnie. She was innocent, pure, and heartbroken. When his arm brushed hers as he reached the chips above her head, he knew what she was. He felt the power on the surface of her skin, tasted the wisdom that surrounded her, and knew that she held the strength to wield the gift she'd been given honorably. He wanted to help her, ease the turmoil raging around the shattered fragments of her heart, but more importantly he sensed the growing need within him for her.

All of the colliding thoughts and emotions overwhelmed him the night in her kitchen. That's why he'd broken her skin. Bruising and scarring the delicate dermis with his brand so that other supernatural beings would know she was claimed and protected. Tyler had even willing yielded to his authority when it came to Bonnie, Caroline and Stefan walked in respect to the deepening connection between Mason and his heart's desire, but Damon Salvatore fought him the entire way.

He didn't understand what motivated the selfish vampire.

Until Mason's arrival in Mystic Falls, Damon had been infatuated with his brother's girlfriend Elena, and now with the wolf's presence, his sights were keenly set on Bonnie. He didn't know if it was a cosmic tug – of – war or if the man's feelings were true.

He pulled into the parking place, stepped from the car, wrapping the leather jacket he wore around his massive frame, as he slipped into the Fairfax Square entrance. He hurried into the store. The crowd was diminishing. The first of the season's major holidays was approaching. The entire mall smelled of cinnamon, spice, and vanilla; things that brought her to mind. Anxiously, he looked around for his favorite familiar face. Expecting to see her in corners and shadows, exiting her favorite stores, but she wasn't there.

Mason's eyes followed the classic script lettering used in the store's signage. His idea for the perfect present for his girlfriend's birthday came early one morning when she smiled at him beneath the duvet and filled the entire space with her brightness. He wanted to give her something just as beautiful. He bent over the case, mulling his purchase. The clerk rolled her eyes, discounting his interest based on his manner of dress. He was covered in worn Diesel jeans, a faded gray t-shirt, a too little leather blazer he'd found in his brother's closet, and he topped off the look with dirty motorcycle boots covered in red mud.

"Tiffany's Lockwood …Walmart is two exits over."

Mason recognized the grating sound of Damon Salvatore's voice. Regardless of what the old hag behind the counter or the dead man beside him thought, he had more than enough to cover whatever he decided upon for Bonnie's birthday. Yeah he'd wasted years surfing but the trust fund willed to him by his grandparents sat safely in the bank until he returned to the Falls. In other words, he could buy the entire store once, twice, or three times if he liked.

He turned to face the man, pleasantries fully loaded, but not an ounce of sincerity in his voice, "Go away Damon."

His nemesis answered in a casual tone, "No."

He wanted to rip the man's throat out, but a strange feeling of peace washed over him and his lips turned upward with the realization that even apart she was still with him.

Mason pointed to two charms in the case and asked for the woman's opinion. He didn't want or need Damon's.

"Does the little…" Damon paused obviously seeking a suitable replacement for the word 'witch', "Cheerleader, strike you as a diamond girl."

He ignored his unwelcomed shopping buddy and pointed at a pink petal with a diamond in the center, brushed in a rose gold tone. The clerk pulled the matching chain from a nearby case and even echoed her own vote of approval.

Damon shrugged, "To each their own."

Mason silenced anymore of the vamps retorts when he paid for the gift in cash without hesitation. He accepted the turquoise box adorned in a white bow before he walked towards the exit.

"How about a drink? I'll even put it in a stainless steel bowl for you, Fido."

Mason's hands reached for Damon's neck but he felt a tug at the back of his consciousness, so he offered a conciliatory reply, "Sure."

He wasn't prepared for the vampire to fold into the passenger's seat or punch the button's of his nephew's stereo system.

"Does Tyler really listen to this garbage?"

He couldn't fight the grin that spread across his face; he'd thought the same thing on his trip over. Damon threw jeweled case after case out of the window. Gone were the Avett Brothers, Ray LaMontagne, "Taylor Swift…oh…he's never going to live this one down." By the end of the purging session, Alice in Chains floated through the speakers, and Mason's hatred towards Damon was decreasing.

By the second round of shots they were sharing war stories; Mason's tour of duty in Afghanistan and Damon's round during the Civil War. There were discussions about the women who broke their hearts, Katherine and the girl who set his curse in motion who may or may not have been one in the same. Before the conversation finally turned to the only thing they had in common.

"Bonnie is the _only_ reason I haven't killed you yet."

Mason held the glass to his lips contemplating his answer, "Funny, that's the _only _thing that keeps you enjoying life the sequel."

Damon leaned back in his chair, hands poised behind his head, "You can give her something I can't and I'd rather see her happy with you, than brokenhearted and alone."

There was no response strong enough for what the vampire had openly shared. He quickly ended the friendship bonding session.

"If you hurt her…use her…" Damon leaned in closer pointing his finger square in Mason's face, "If one unnecessary tear drifts from her eyes, I'll be on your doorstep, full moon or not, ready to end your miserable walk on two legs or four."

"You love her…"

It was more of a statement than a question. The eldest Salvatore never answered; he only smirked, motioning for another bottle from the waitress whose behind he was molesting before Mason's eyes. "Just be good to her."

Mason rode home alone, sure that Damon and the waitress were enjoying their own personal den of iniquity in the bar's storage room. It hadn't come easy, but finally he'd won him over, and for one reason or another he felt like a champion. Especially when he climbed the stairs of his family's home and saw Bonnie curled into a tight little ball in the middle of his bed. Her hair fanned out around her face, traces of a smile on her lips, and a stomach turning scent of the woods, sweat, and mud. Where had Tyler taken her today?

He hid her birthday present under the bed before slipping into the bathroom and filling the tub with hot water and bubbles. He shook the sleeping witch and stood staring goofily as she tried to rid her green eyes of the troublesome signs of sleep.

His fingers caressed her cheek, "Go take a bath."

She followed him to the door, accepted the kiss he offered, before disappearing into the steam-filled bathroom.

Yes, Mason would be good to her. He would be any and everything she needed.


	10. Happy Birthday Bonnie Part One

_The end has arrived. Guess what I'm not ready to say goodbye yet. So I've broken the final chapter into three parts. Here's the first – a really important conversation and a moment of clarity between the witch and the vampire. I'll say this now. There will be a sequel. I'm really not ready to let go of this little ship. _

**_Happy Birthday – Pt. 1_**

The last person Bonnie expected to find seated at the foot of her bed on the morning of her eighteenth birthday was Damon Salvatore. He held a bouquet of white roses and a black linen envelope with her name in gold embossed letters.

"Your father left this," He threw the envelope in her direction, "And these." He sniffed the roses before he placed them in her lap.

"Thanks."

She muttered, picking up the linen parchment and following Damon's lead by taking a long whiff of the fragrant flowers. She'd grown accustomed to her father's absence on the day that celebrated her birth. The pain still resonated and stung a little longer and hell of a lot deeper as more time passed. She slid her finger underneath the seal and read the words written on the paper enclosed inside.

There was a time when she wouldn't have allowed the eldest Salvatore brother front row access to her weaknesses, but there was something soothing and natural about his presence. The tears flowed as Damon's eyes burned her skin. He inched closer, reaching for the letter, reading the words, and hissing a profane statement that echoed how he truly felt about Mr. Bennett. When he opened his mouth to speak she raised her hand to silence his rant.

"I'm use to it, don't waste your breath."

She was, gone were the days when her mother and father, snatched her from the comfort of her warm bed, and plied her mouth full of chocolate chip pancakes in honor of her special day. There would be no trips to the Sanrio store to allow her to spend excess amounts of cash on Hello Kitty, Keroppi, and Chococat. Yes her father had left cash with his brief words. Instructions on how to indulge in the plans he'd made for his birthday girl and her friends, never knowing that all she wanted was his arms and a smile filled with pride.

Bonnie furiously wiped the tears from her eyes and begrudgingly stood beside her bed. She wasn't prepared for uncharacteristic Damon behavior. First, the impromptu morning wakeup and now the arms that wrapped around her petite frame. The waterworks started yet again as she clutched his shirt and pounded his chest.

"My dad was a real son of a bitch too."

The words made her smile. She laughed between sobs and graced him with the sweetest grin when his fingertips brushed the tears from her lashes.

"I've been really unfair to you."

It was her turn to shock the vampire before her.

"Hold on." He slid his phone from his pocket and turned on the video recorder, "I need evidence of the great and wise Bonnie Bennett apologizing."

This time she smirked, "No apology – an understanding." She finally extricated herself from his arms and took a few steps back, creating a reasonable amount of distance between them. She noticed the brief look of disappointment that crossed his face before he masked it with his typical arrogance. "I've spent two years hating you and you didn't deserve that."

He stepped closer and she moved backwards. He understood the silent rebuke, planted his feet, and didn't attempt to gain access to her again.

"When you feel alone, it makes you do things…"

This time Damon interrupted Bonnie, "Don't excuse my actions. I did some really foul shit to a lot of people…especially you. I'm sorry."

She could tell he was sincere and it made the pain she'd began to associate with the day easier to bear. She closed the gap between them, thinking about her discussions with Mason, and the vampire's warning to her boyfriend.

"You know what I want for my birthday?"

Damon waggled his brows.

"Gross." She groaned. "Not that."

His shoulders slumped and his massive ego deflated.

"This is the Damon I want to see more often."

She smoothed the wrinkles from his shirt before she lifted her gaze meeting his eyes.

"Only for you." Damon whispered before he pulled her closer and placed a chaste kiss to her forehead.

Bonnie reveled in the moment. One of the rare instances the vampire lowered his defenses and let someone in. This time she didn't pull away. She welcomed the arms that held her and provided comfort.

"I need to say something."

She looked up again and nodded.

"You're not alone. You have a family that will always support you. There are people who…_love_ you." His hand hovered above her cheek, "It's not just a curse…myth… legend. What he feels…what I feel…" Damon's eyes glazed over, "I'll always be here when you need me."

It was an innocent kiss she placed on his lips. The only way she knew to say thank you. He didn't cross the boundaries she had set in place, nor did he disrespect the bond she'd formed with Mason. The intimate moment ended, without a sarcastic comment or insult.

She noticed his hands shook as he retrieved a small velvet pouch from his pocket.

Bonnie gasped when she opened it.

Damon cleared his throat, "It was Emily's wedding band."

Her eyes stretched taking in the intricate floral engraving in the rose colored gold. It was beautiful.

"Her husband saved my life more than once, in spite of how he really felt about me." Damon laughed, "Mason reminds me of him, "Fiercely protective of the woman he loved and those she deemed important."

Bonnie struggled to hear Damon's historical retelling over the rapid beating of her heart.

"You see this ivy leaf that meant wedded love."

Tears filled her eyes but refused to fall, "Thank you."

"Emily would have wanted you to have it," He studied her long and hard, "She would be proud of you. Sheila would be amazed at what you can do."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him in spite of his lack of response.

"Okay…" He pushed her away, allowing his trademark smirk to grace his lips. "Enough with the hugs, tears, and shit. I've got a reputation to maintain."

She released him and watched as he jumped from her window and landed on the snow covered ground.

Damon Salvatore would never cease to amaze her.


	11. Happy Birthday Bonnie Part Two

_Yes I'm a straight up tease - here's Part Two- more tomorrow_

**_Happy Birthday Bonnie - Part 2_**

Bonnie was fully dressed and impatiently waiting on the couch when Elena and Caroline arrived a little after seven. She didn't know if her agitation stemmed from the fact that her friends were over an hour late or that Mason was no longer responding to her texts, emails, or phone calls. The two had talked for an hour after Damon's visit earlier that morning and the witch swore that she could hear his jaw tighten over the line when she told him about the conversation and the vampire's declaration. She needed to tell him the truth. Their relationship couldn't stand if she kept things from him. One key point that came from Damon's visit, he would always be a part of her life. Emily had made sure of that and she had her reasons. No, they were not romantically involved, she didn't share any of the convoluted feelings vampire possessed; however, she did care about him. She worried about his state of mind and the actions that would produced if he felt threatened, hurt, or abandoned. She wanted to be his friend. She needed to support him. Still, Bonnie refused to give him a free pass, an opening to her heart, mind, and spirit; giving Damon that much control was dangerous. Her words seemed to be enough for the wolf and at the moment herself.

Mason and Bonnie had exchanged texts during her facial, a phone during her hot stone massage, and he'd sent a picture of suspicious and familiar blue box during her pedicure at the spa. Caroline had threatened to smash Bonnie's phone into fine metallic dust if she heard the vibrating alert that signaled another message from her geriatric boyfriend. So she wasn't surprised when a similar threat emanated from her best friend's lips when she walked through the dear.

"Bon – Bon, I've already warned you about the safety of that phone. Put it up or watch it crumble."

She ignored the baby vamp, slipped the phone in her clutch, threw the blanket off her body, and stood to unified gasps from Elena and Caroline mouths.

"What?" Bonnie asked shrugging her shoulders as if she was dressed in jeans, a tee, and chucks.

Caroline walked over to her admiring the dress. "Is that a von Furstenberg?"

Bonnie looked at the mini-shift she was wore that barely covered her backside, "Yeah."

The blonde spoke again, "Your legs look like they go on for days, and you are so going to get…"

Elena stepped closer, casting a disapproving and motherly look, and interrupting Caroline's lewd remark, "You're going to freeze to death out there."

Meanwhile Caroline's fingers traced the elaborate designs featured in blue, green, and black, "Is this silk?"

Bonnie nodded before critiquing Elena's choice of outfit for the occasion, "Excuse me, Ms. sequined tank and tight leather pants, trying to show off our ass much?"

Elena rolled her eyes and tried to hide her embarrassment until Caroline punched her in the arm. "Fuck, Caro, that shit hurt, I'm human not a vampire, you can't hit me like you've lost your damn mind."

Caroline was officially squealing and shaking Elena, completely blocking out the girl's curse riddled tirade, "Oh Em Gee Bon, the Rock and Republic platform mesh booties, can your dad adopt me?"

Bonnie slipped into her black leather biker jacket, choosing to disregard Caroline's latest squee worthy comment, "Can we _go_, I'm starving."

Elena chimed in, "Translation," In her best whiny Bonnie voice, "I wanna see Mason." The brunette even did a little dance in her high heeled boots and Bonnie couldn't help but laugh.

The ride over was uneventful until Caroline grabbed the back of the passenger's seat that held Bonnie's frame and leaned forward whispering in her ear, "Tonight you and Mason…"

"So inappropriate Caroline," Elena chastised, "If you need a few ideas…"

"Wait, who died and made the two of you sex experts?"

Elena stopped at the red light and turned to face Bonnie, "The first time can be a little…"

Bonnie plugged her ears, "La – La – La, I'm not listening."

Caroline swatted her hands away, "Seriously B, we're here for you."

"News flash, Mason will not be the first."

The car behind them honked and Elena finally put their vehicle in motion. Ever so often she would look in Bonnie's direction, mouth open, question on her tongue, but never completed.

Leave it to Caroline to break the ice, "I am _pissed_ at you right now, Bon, who…when…why didn't you tell us."

"It's not important." Bonnie started biting her nails and Caroline pressed harder.

"Elena it's somebody we know, she's nervous and fidgeting. Look at her."

"Let it go."

Those were her final words.

Elena looked at her again, throwing the puppy dog eyes in her direction.

"Don't E, that's not going to work."

Elena frowned and sniffed.

Bonnie screamed, "Number twenty – three on the defensive line." She took a deep breath settled back in her seat and let Caroline do the calculations. She could hear her friend running down the football roster by position and offensive and defensive assignments.

"Landon Reynolds?" Caroline paused, "Sandy blonde hair – blue eyes – really big hands."

Elena nearly swerved off the road.

"Yes, now you know, I'm not proud of it. I got really drunk while I was in Richmond for my Grams' memorial service, and I hung out with one of my cousins who got me a fake id and he was in the bar with his brother. The rest is history. Seriously, it's not one of my finest moments."

She stared out the window, channeling her thoughts into the repetitive action of biting the inside of her cheek.

"Riley Morris." Bonnie recognized the name that slipped from Caroline's lips, "Under the bleachers before the first JV basketball game of our sophomore year. I can't even blame it on alcohol. He had the grossest breath."

"Nic Benson." Her eyes stretched with the revelation. Nic had been the resident Falls' bad boy before Damon's return, "Right after my parents died."

"Sluts." Bonnie mumbled under her breath.

"Takes one to know one," Elena added, "See all of us had less than stellar moments when it came to making pertinent decisions about our sex lives."

Elena pulled into the parking space, and turned off the ignition. She faced Bonnie and Caroline, ready to listen to what her birthday bud had to say.

"Thank you for tonight and worrying about me. Mason and I will be okay. I'm ready for this and yes a little scared and a lot excited."

"He loves you."

Elena the doubting Thomas threw in.

"He's extremely hot."

Caroline added.

"And he's all mine."

Bonnie finished with a huge smile on her face.

The girls finally stepped inside of the Speakeasy. Eyes red from crying, makeup smeared and hands linked. The Scoobys had chipped in; well Bonnie found out later, Damon had handled most of the bill to buy the club out for the evening, giving the crew a private place to celebrate. Dinner was catered, a DJ on the turntables spinning all of the birthday girl's favorite tunes, and her best friends. Caroline and Tyler settled at a table to themselves. Stefan and Elena did the same. Matt arrived with a new girl who bore a striking resemblance to the newly made blonde vampire. Damon sat off in the distance with Alaric and Jenna, complaining as usual, adding colorful commentary, but watching as Bonnie waited for the only person she wanted to see.

Just when Snow Patrol's cover of Beyonce's _Crazy in Love_ began to pound through the speakers and Bonnie did her best imitation of the Texas woman's dance moves, the energy in the room changed. She sensed him before she saw him. She smelt him before his hands slipped around her waist and he joined in her groove.

"Happy Birthday Bonnie."

Mason whispered before placing his lips against the nape of her neck.


	12. Happy Birthday Bonnie Part Three

**_Happy Birthday Bonnie - Part Three - I and Love and You_**

Bonnie's heart skipped a beat when she felt the warmth of Mason's mouth against her skin. Her internal smile matched the external version plastered across her face. Absence had made the heart grow fonder; even if she had fallen asleep in his arms while they watched Center Stage for the thousandth time the night before during their standard Friday night date. She'd missed him in the hours that had passed. There was something about his presence; it ignited very basic needs in her – the desire for comfort, intimacy, and love. She needed him. More importantly she felt those sentiments echoed his touch.

"Happy Birthday," his lips formed the words against her skin and she giggled, forcing the lump in her throat down and waiting for the unruly butterflies in her stomach to subside.

With little effort he turned her body in his arms and finally she looked up at him; gorgeous blue eyes with stunning accents of gold and gray. She'd never tire of the sight.

"Hey stranger," Bonnie managed a lop - sided grin in spite of the excessive saliva playing around in her mouth. She was drooling, literally salivating with anticipation of what was to come later that evening.

"Get a room!" Damon slurred from the high – top table in the darkened corner of the bar where he'd taken residence.

Mason tensed with the rebuke and Bonnie tugged at his hand, "He's joking."

"He's an asshole that's drunk and in need of a makeover that only my fist can deliver."

Bonnie was amazed at the intensity of Mason's impromptu speech; she thought they had reached an agreement about the vampire. Yes Damon cared about Bonnie, more than he should have, but he respected her choice, Mason.

Roughly she grabbed his face and pulled him closer, "What the hell is your problem, I'm with you, not Damon."

Mason dropped his forehead to hers, "Sorry – just feeling a little weird."

She went to him easily, folding her body into his, enjoying the sensations the strength of his arms created. He smelled like berries, oranges, and a hint of wood. He was wearing the cologne she'd dropped in his bag the last time he slept over. His shirt was gray and tucked neatly into his flat front black pants. He'd even given up his trademark boots for a perfectly polished pair of black loafers. She could get use to the dapper and debonair version of Mason Lockwood.

"No apology necessary, enjoy the evening, only one man gets to take me home at the end of the night."

He growled as soon as the last syllable dripped from her lips.

"Mine."

The simple declaration transported her back to where it all began – their uncanny meeting in the store – the pornographic Monday in his bedroom – her first night really seeing him under the light of the full moon. She shivered with the thought. This wasn't the crush she had on Tyler when they were younger, the sex dream she'd enjoyed nightly that centered around Stefan after his first week of enrollment at the school, or the one boyfriend she let touch and tease between her legs with his fingers.

Mason's touch snatched her from her memories. His hands traced the curve of her spine before they slipped beneath the swell of her bottom and gripped. A very observant and worried Alaric quickly came and interrupted the scene, directing Mason towards the bar while Jenna circled an arm around Bonnie's waist, "Walk with me."

Unsure of exactly what had happened, she nodded. Bonnie settled next to Jenna in an empty booth.

"You're so pretty Bon." Jenna lifted a stray curl from her face, "So much like your mommy."

The hollow feeling returned to her chest and she felt Jenna's hand cover hers, "Shhh…don't do that…I'm sorry."

The woman echoed the soothing sentiments before her tears could come to fruition. Bonnie's eyes closed with the long forgotten memory of the mother who used to be her everything.

"You know she was my babysitter. Your dad _always _showed up during the Friday and Saturday nights she spent with me above the pharmacy. He loved her. Stared at her the same way Mason can't take his eyes off you."

Bonnie looked up, locking gazes with Jenna.

"No one thought it was real. She was so damned pretty, every guy followed her around like a lost puppy – John," Jenna rolled her eyes before picking up her glass and taking a sip, "Richard Lockwood, but your dad beat them all. _Shit_, I'm rambling. I said that to say this. I know Mason. I know the two of you took a lot of crap off of friends and those who thought they knew better, sometimes you just have to say, _fuck you_."

If Bonnie didn't know it before, she was sure now that Jenna was completely wasted. Still, she appreciated what her friend's aunt tried to do and it meant more to her than Jenna would ever know. She mouthed a quick thank you to the woman when Alaric and Mason returned to the table. Bonnie eased from the seat accepting the hand her boyfriend offered and followed him to the dance floor.

Jason Reeves voice filtered through the speakers as the lights grew dimmer. The couple danced twice to the song, _Entwined_, their unofficial theme song and a third and final time to no music at all. The party was officially over, once the cake was cut and the standard off key rendition of Stevie Wonder's birthday song was rendered in her honor.

They said their goodbyes. Drunk and utterly intoxicated Jenna hugged her for an excessive period of time, Caroline gave her thumbs up, Elena dug around the bottom of her bag for what Bonnie was sure was lube or a condom – she ran in the opposite direction.

Damon blocked their exit, a sadistic smirk on his lips as he sized up the werewolf. His eyes fell on the disapproving look that lingered on Bonnie's face before he stepped aside and watched them walk to the limo waiting just beyond the door. She glanced over her shoulder, staring at the empty eyes of the vampire, and her heart ached for him. She smiled and twisted Emily's wedding band on her right middle finger.

Bonnie wasn't sure what she expected from her first night with Mason. She'd alternated between daydreams and fantasies that filled her head while she slept; candles, rose petals, or maybe a tub filled with bubbles. Who was she kidding, he'd done all of that and then some in the evenings he spent trying to steer her attention from night terrors and supernatural beings both seen and unseen.

Her heart rate increased and she shirked from his touch when he reached for her sweat drenched palms. She knew that it took three right turns and four lefts, followed by a five minute drive down the lane to reach the Lockwood estate. She was surprised when the driver took a fourth right and the car ventured onto a rocky lane. The road grew darker and the trees became thicker. They were deep into the forest. Still close to the city and the friends she loved but there was seclusion to the area that excited her.

Mason stepped from the car and offered his hand to Bonnie. When she emerged, the first thing she noticed was the intoxicating scent of Casa Blanca Lilies hanging in the night air.

"I planted a few around the perimeter of the house."

She took in the sight of the stalks lining the stairs and the full white blooms. They were lovely and she knew that _he_ knew they were her favorites. The jiggling sound a single key against brushed and polished silver grabbed her attention. On a Tiffany key ring hung the spare key to his front door.

"I have free access to your house it's only right that you have the same."

Her heart leapt with the meaning behind what he was saying. There would be no return trip to Florida. Still she had to clarify.

"You…" Bonnie paused searching for coherent words from the English language, "This is your…"

Mason answered her ramblings, "I closed last week."

Awe continued as they crossed the threshold of the home, Mason carrying Bonnie in his arms. She kicked and screamed, playfully begging to be returned to a standing position. He obliged, full toothed grin lighting his features.

The same scent of lilies arrested her senses. The dim glow of candles and radiating heat from the fire pulled her into the all white living room. Bonnie's stomach grumbled, in all the excitement she'd managed a sliver of cake and two pieces of pineapple before they disappeared from her party.

Anticipating her needs, Mason led Bonnie to the blanket in front of the fireplace. He fed her, filling her with fruit, veggies, cheese, and cradling her back against his chest as she ate. When she tried to hurry, he reassured her with one phrase, "We have all night."

Later Mason bathed Bonnie, careful not to excite himself or her anymore than they already were. He dried her body, massaging any residual tension from her skin. It was better than what she'd enjoyed earlier at the spa. She drifted into a sound sleep as she listened to the water beat against the stone tiles of the shower.

When Bonnie woke, Mason was there, watching quietly.

"You talk in your sleep."

She covered her face with a pillow and groaned, "What did I say?"

His tone was low and even, "That you love me."

She sat up, face still shielded, heart pounding against her ribs. I and love and you were the hardest three words to expel. She'd known since the talk with Tyler how she felt about Mason. She didn't fight when he removed the pillow from her hands.

"I love you too."

His hands slipped beneath her and lifted her to his lap. The infamous blue box was waiting there.

"It's beautiful." She whispered, studying the petal that hung from the gold chain.

She kissed him as a thank you that quickly became more. She loved the feel of his chest and the broadness of his shoulders. Her fingers traced an outline that her lips followed. Mason melted into the mattress the sound his moaning encouraging her to continue her well placed affection. She drifted lower, tugging at his left nipple and then his right before showering kisses along the trail of fine hair that led to the tent in his boxers. She smiled ready to tease before she buckled under his strength and found her body under his.

He growled again, closing his mouth around her shoulder and brushing his tongue across the crescent scar that served as a reminder of his marking from the weeks before. His hands separated the material covering her skin; the buttons of shirt popping and littering the sheets around them.

He said those words, "I love you."

It was quiet and she would have missed it, if everything around them had not been so still.

He repeated it again, louder, "I love you."

His lips met hers and legs wrapped around his waist as her hands drifted lower.

When their eyes met, she echoed his sentiments, "I love you."

A question remained between them and she nodded, responding to the doubts he still held. Nimble fingers pushed his boxers below his hips and in one simple, slow, and seductive move he filled her.

"Mine."

His infamous declaration filled her ears as began to move.

"Yours."

She answered, lifting her hips from the mattress to meet the first thrust.

"Forever."

His body shook with the syllables.

"Always."

Bonnie's lids lowered and she relinquished control of her body, mind, soul, and most importantly her heart. Everything belonged to Mason.


End file.
